Morris Hecht

Morris Hecht, 94, of West Orange died Jan. 23, 2013. Born in Manhattan, he was raised in Brooklyn and lived in Rutherford before moving to West Orange in 1958.

Mr. Hecht was president of Croydon Trading Corp., textile exporters, from 1950 to 1955 while also serving as adjunct assistant professor of international trade at Long Island University. From 1955 to 1990, he served as a buyer for Robinson & Golluber, manufacturers of bandanas and importers of ladies’ scarves. He retired from that firm as executive vice president. From 1997 to 2002 he served as the Spanish language contact for NJ Medicare Division of Aetna U.S. Healthcare.

He received his bachelor’s degree from City College of New York in 1937. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and a medalist in Spanish.

He served in the United States Army during World War II.

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He had served as president of the singles group of the Brooklyn Jewish Center after World War II. In New Jersey, he served as cochair for the Pleasantdale UJA drive, vice president of B’nai Shalom in West Orange, copresident of the West Essex chapter of the American Jewish Congress, and cochair of the Community Jewish Book Festival at the JCC MetroWest.

Predeceased by his wife, Gilda Kaplan Hecht, and a son-in-law, Ken Wittcoff, he is survived by two daughters, Jessica Wittcoff of Tampa, Fla., and Leslie (Marc) Kallus of West Orange; six grandchildren; and his caregiver, Kwaku Gyamfi.

Services were held Jan. 25 with arrangements by Bernheim-Apter-Kreitzman Suburban Funeral Chapel, Livingston. Memorial contributions may be made to the Kiddush Fund at B’nai Shalom or Hillel Academy of Tampa, 2020 W. Fletcher Avenue, Tampa, FL 33612.